Fernandina Beach may see short term rentals downtown

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

March 26, 2015 6:40 p.m.

Former educational building owned by First Baptist Church at 19 N. 5th (Note that construction equipment is unrelated to Poynter's proposed project.) 

Local businessman and Fernandina Beach City Commissioner Tim Poynter appeared before the city’s Technical Review Committee (TRC) this morning to discuss a proposal to convert the existing First Baptist Church education building located at 19 North 5^th Street into a lodging facility. The property is zoned C-3, Central Business District, and is located between Centre and Alachua Streets. Poynter has proposed associated parking at the northeast corner of N. 4^th Street and Alachua Streets, where a church parking lot has existed for over 20 years as a nonconforming use in a medium residential (R-2) zoning district.

Lot at the corner of N. 4th and Alachua Streets that has served as parking lot for First Baptist Church

Although the TRC listened to three cases today, most of the discussion centered on Poynter’s proposal. Poynter explained that he was performing his due diligence before embarking on the project in order to understand what the city would require in converting what had been an educational building into a 24-30 unit lodging facility.

Poynter, who with his wife owns two successful downtown restaurants, explained that he has been working on this idea for two years. While his floor plans have not been finalized, he shared general plans with the TRC in hopes of receiving further guidance from them before proceeding. He said that his intent is to repurpose an existing building in the Historic District that the Baptist Church vacated nine years ago. He would make no significant changes to the building’s exterior. The entire building would be a non-smoking building. He would design units, some one-bedroom and some 2-bedroom, as loft units. In response to a question, he said that he would not rent a unit for less than a week.

The closest parallel to his concept on the island is the Marriott Residence Inn on Sadler Road, in which lodgers can rent for weeks or months. Poynter said that he believed that longer-term rentals would have a positive impact on the Centre Street business district while minimizing traffic and parking impacts that would be caused by daily rentals in the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Poynter added that he would be adding currently untaxed property to city tax rolls. The structure is currently tax exempt as a church-owned property.

The TRC reviews applications and provides compliance reports for site plans, rezoning, amendments to the Land Development Code, preliminary subdivision plats, final subdivision plats, and amendments to previously issued local development orders. Membership includes, at a minimum, a representative from 5 City departments: Planning and Zoning, Utilities, Building, Facilities Maintenance, and the Fire Department.

TRC members review Poynter's project (clockwise from front:   CDD Director  Adrienne Burke, Fire Marshal Jason Higginbotham, Utilities Director John Mandrick, Deputy City Manager Marshall McCrary, Maintenance Director Rex Lester, Plans Examiner Don Kukla

Community Development Director Adrienne Burke raised concerns over parking requirements. Burke said that when Poynter initially approached her about the project, she had thought that the First Baptist Church was retaining their parking lot, and would either lease it to Poynter or agree to a shared arrangement. She explained that if Poynter were to purchase the parking area from the church, the land would lose its nonconforming use status and revert to R-2, meaning that it could not serve as a parking lot any longer. She added that exactly how many parking spaces Poynter would need for this project depended upon the final configuration of interior space and the final number of lodging units.

Tim Poynter addresses TRC. Code Enforcement Officer Michelle Forstrom (blue shirt) looks on.

Poynter said that initially the city had told him that as long as he left the existing church parking lot as is—no paving, curbs, islands or added landscaping—the nonconforming use would be grandfathered with the property sale. Burke said she regretted that city staff had not completely understood the situation before rendering the initial opinion.

Burke said that over the past years many potential purchasers of the property in question have approached her, but that plans have never materialized because of the associated parking issues. She agreed with Poynter that there is a need for short term housing downtown, adding that the code supports adaptive reuse of buildings in the Historic District. She suggested that Poynter explore all the possibilities that the code allows to provide parking off site as well as discussing shared parking with Nassau County, owner of the lot on the south side of the building.

John Mandrick, Utilities Department Director, and Fire Marshal Jason Higginbotham raised matters for Poynter to consider with respect to sewer impact fees, water meters, providing a fire line, confining the stairwell, adding self-closing doors, etc. Mandrick reiterated advice that he had provided to earlier applicants to pay sewer impact fees by the close of business on May 15 to avoid rate increases.

Plans Examiner Don Kukla and Tim Poynter chat.

Plans Examiner Don Kukla, representing the Building Department, advised Poynter that he would need to add an elevator and ensure that all interior doors and hallways were ADA-compliant. Poynter said that the previous Building Official had said that an elevator would not be needed in a 3-story building. Kukla agreed to check current code and get back to Poynter.

Poynter submitted a preliminary floor plan for the building and indicated that his goal is to avoid exterior changes to the building. TRC members said that he might have to make changes to windows, in addition to adding a sign to the building.

Preliminary floor plan for first floor of Poynter project

There were additional discussions concerning water heaters, dumpsters, laundry and refuse chutes, as well as the best means to condition the interior space.

Maintenance Director Rex Lester looked toward the audience and said that he wanted to state for the record that information was being provided to Poynter in the same manner that the TRC would advise any potential developer. “There is no difference in the process,” he said.

Deputy City Manager Marshall McCrary reminded audience members that because the property is zoned C-3 (Central Business District), it can be developed commercially. The units may not be converted into permanent dwellings, according to city code. The rental units may not be converted into apartments or condos and must remain short-term rental.

Adrienne Burke reinforced that she would like to see the building repurposed. “It would be good for downtown,” she said. Poynter said that parking is the lynchpin to the whole project. If that matter cannot be resolved, he will not be able to go forward with his plan.

Current church parking, Alachua Street side

Poynter has been working with and talking to permitting officials, church officials and neighboring property owners about the project. He said that St. Michael’s, which has been using part of the building for its pre-school, will be moving into a new facility. Poynter said that he has discussed his plans with Pastor Carlos Serrano, the Founder and Pastor of The Promise Land, a Christian Ministry that currently rents the former First Baptist Church sanctuary. He would anticipate that the church could continue to park its vans in the existing parking lot if his plans go forward.

Poynter is scheduled to appear before the city’s Historic District Council on April 16 with a request for a variance to allow him to equip each rental unit with a full sized refrigerator and a stove. Currently, he would only be allowed a mini fridge and a hot plate per unit.

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.